St. Paul daily globe., 1887-08-15

|
| tirely distinct from the system con-
trolling the movements of the body, be-
| ing of necessity much more complex
and delicate, as supplying what might
be termed the brain power OF the
| creature.
What an ideal domestic existence
would be that in which the natural
article could be brought to safe stop
within tenth of a second!
1t now remained only to put the fin
iShing touches on nay mother in COM
pleting her attire and adOrnment. [
gave careful attention to the details of
these, for knew that those twins were
very sharp fellows, and | did not pro-
pose to give them any ground for irrev-
erence, or even criticism, in the adpear-
ance of the lady who was to stand to
them in loco matriS. One of POlly'S
nursery gowns, with the color of which
the twins were perfectly familiar, was
skillfully abstracted from her ward
robe, and gracefully draped round the
mother" whose arms and breast had
first been carefully padded.
The face was delicately touched up
by my artist friend (wh0m / had finally
been obliged to take into my confidence)
until it wore an air of maternal affection
and Solicitude almost SURPRISING that of
the original, and the hair (Which was
one of the most expensive items of my
purchased paraphernalia) was arranged
as nearly as possible in the regular
''diSarrangement'' to which the babies
were accustomed.
This | found difficult to effect without
imparing the safety of the faSteningS,
and | dreaded somewhat the chance of
one of the twins in an enterpriSing mo-
ment giving grab at the thigh ringlet
just sweeping his face" but it was a
risk that had to be incurred.
And now she was complete and my
heart beat high with triumph and eX-
pectation, and visions came before me
of the time when, with whole team of
artificial mothers grooming peace and
comfort through the house, Polly and [
could roam away in bliSSful idleneSS and
renew the days of our youth.
A carefully prepared rag baby was
laid in the arms of the eXpectant mother,
the two sets of works were wound up,
the starting springs touched, and the
rocking, and fondling, and grooming
commenced with such perfect natural
ness. grace and harmony, that | was
carried away by my delight and caught
myself saying, MY dear. you are
grand success and reflect credit upon
your maker.s
put on the stops and the baby drop
ped with an easy motion of the arms
into the mothers lap, the grooming
SOftened down into the gentle murmur
of the piano." then ceased altogether,
and the mother sat looking at her sleep
ing child with an aspect of such calm
dignity and sweet motherlineSS that l
was irreSiStably impelled to give her a
kiss of huSbandly approval.
''What would Polly Say?" thOught,aS
| wiped from my lips the slight touch
left on them by the damp paint. Re-
moving the rag baby, lifted with some
effort the chair containing my handi-
work down to the door of my parlor,
which, since the advent of the twins,
had been appropriated by them as a
special private nursery, where my oc-
caSional presence was permitted only
on Suffrance. The moment seemed
prOpitious for my experiment.
[ could hear tine twins yelling with vO-
cifer0uS indignation for their slave
Polly, who had evidently been called
into the farther nursery by some out
break among their predecessors.
opened the door, placed the rocking
chair costly in front of the fire,
smoothed down the drapery and
loosened out the hair of its occupant,
and gently laid twin in each arm. a
touch on the springs and the arms
moved up, claSping the still clamOrous
infants to her breasts, the head hesss
over, the feet touched the floor, impae
ling the chair with uniform swing
and with an equally uniform m0notong
the steady waves of the ''crooningE
poured forth from her lips.
The twins hushed their angry COM
planning and looked up inquiringly at
the being to whom their destiny Gn the
shape of their father had confided them.
1t was moment of terrible suspense.
If their keen perceptions discovered
the fraud; if they decid-
ed that in addition to the
creature comforts of warmth,
and motion, and noise, it was essential
to their happiness to have also the ''je
he sais quOi" of mOtherlineSS that my
substitute could not bestOw upon them:
if Gn the language of the day their un-
satisfied warnings revealed to them
that their souls were not fed and their
senSibilities not miniStered to, my beau
tiful theories would fall baseleSS to the
ground, and my labor and hopes would,
indeed, have been in vain.
But no! Firmly held in the warm
embrace of the untiring arms, evenly
rocked in the steady swing of the chair
and dinned into Inconsistencies by the
unbroken stream of sound, they stilled
their noisy cOmp1ainingS, accepted the
situation, and relapSed into state of
blissful contentment and repoSe. 1t was
evident that babies had no souls that
needed administering to, and my ''arti-
fetal mother" was success. l threw
myself into all easy chair, with the con-
sciousness that had done great work
for the world, for myself, for Polly.
Just then heard her step approach
ing. The sudden cessation of the
wOnted cries had alarmed her keen ear,
and she came flying in, looking. with
the flush of haste and alarm upon her
face, especially pretty and charming.
''Our new nurse, my dear, Il said,
waving my hand toward the chair.
"a friend who has come in to lend
hand" proceeded rather incoherently,
seeing that Polly stood aback with
doubt, bewilderment and vague appre-
henSiOn.
''In short, my dear, my new artificial
mother" l burst out in desperation, as
she stood still and stared, while the
rocking went on without ceasing, and
the grooming started on the higher key.
Artificial what?" cried Polly, so,
Tom, what frightful experiments are
you making with my blessed boys? Let
me have them at once." she cried, rush
ing at the figure.
But the babies were but clutched the
tighter, the chair swung more swiftly,
and the .screoning,, burst into louder -
strain with what sounded like defiant
ring.
''Give me my children" shrieked
Polly, trying to check the ceaseIeSs
swing of the chair, but the mother
continued imperturbable, and answered
her vehemence with bland, fixed
smile.
''Tom, help me, the thing is a de-
monr' screamed Polly in desperation,
pulling frantically at the mothers
arms. But, even as she spoke, the
swinging redoubled in velocity until
IL l,nl IL,